Simple Steps to Set Up and Manage Audio Input Devices for Windows

If you want more control over your audio input devices and microphones on your Windows computer, there are a lot of settings that you can adjust. Whether you want to change the default mic or set a different mic for your apps, we’ve got full instructions to walk you through it. Keep reading, and we’ll cover advanced settings and troubleshooting steps for any problems that come up along the way.

Setting a Default Audio Input for Windows 11: Quick Steps

To change your audio input device, open Settings → System → Sound and select a microphone from the Input list. If you want to adjust your microphone settings, go to Sound → Advanced → More Sound Settings to change the input levels and audio sample rates.

Section 1 of 8:

How to Set a Default Audio Input Device

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To quickly open the Sound menu, right-click on the volume icon on the right side of the taskbar and select Sound Settings from the menu that pops up. Alternatively, press ⊞ Win+i to open Settings. Then, go System → Sound.^{[1]
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Under the Input tab, look through the available devices in the list. When you find the one that you want to set as a default, click the small circle to the left of its name to automatically switch it to your default device.

Section 2 of 8:

How to Set Default Audio Input Devices with Legacy Settings

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Enter “mmsys.cpl” from the Run app. The legacy sound settings let you make more adjustments and are a little more reliable for setting a permanent default input device. Press ⊞ Win+R on your keyboard to open the run menu, and then enter “mmsys.cpl”. Click OK when you’re finished to open the settings window.^{[2]
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- You can also access the legacy settings menu by going to Settings → System → Sound → Advanced → More sound settings.
From the new window, look at the top menu bar and open the Recording tab. This will display a list of all the microphones and audio input devices connected and active on your computer.
Scroll through the list of devices until you find the one you want to set as your default device. Right-click on it, and choose the Set as Default Device option from the menu.

Section 3 of 8:

How to Switch Audio Input Devices Quickly

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Whenever you want to change the input device you’re using, right-click on the volume icon in the task bar and select Sound Settings, or go to Settings → System → Sound. Select a new input device from the list, and the input will automatically switch.

Section 4 of 8:

How to Set App-Specific Audio Input Devices

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Right-click on the volume icon on the right side of your taskbar, and select Open Volume Mixer. Alternatively, go to Settings → System → Sound and look for the Volume Mixer under the Advanced tab.^{[3]
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Make sure you’re running the app that you want to change the input device for. Under the Apps list in the volume mixer, click the dropdown arrow on the right side to open its settings. Under the Input Device option, select which audio input device you want to use for that app.
Many communication apps, like Teams, Zoom, and Discord, have menus in their settings where you can select a different audio input device. Navigate to the settings menu in the app you’re using, and look for an option labeled “Audio,” “Devices,” “Voice & Video,” or something similar. From the input device setting, choose the microphone you want to use as the default.

Section 5 of 8:

How to Change Advanced Audio Input Settings

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Right-click on the volume button in the taskbar and select Sound Settings to go directly to the page in your Settings app. Otherwise, open Settings from the Start menu, and navigate to System → Sound.
Scroll down until you see the Advanced sound options below the input devices. Click on More sound settings to open a new window listing all of your audio output and input devices.^{[4]
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Switch to the Recording tab at the top of the window to view all of the microphones and input devices connected to your computer. Look through the list, and click on the option you want to edit. Then, click on Properties to open another window with more advanced settings.
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Adjust the microphone levels and sample rate. Under the Levels tab, drag the slider to the left to make your microphone quieter or to the right to make it louder. Then, click over to the Advanced tab and switch between sample rates if you want to adjust your mic quality.
- The advanced tab also lets you toggle Exclusive Mode, which allows apps to take control of an audio input device when they’re opened. If you don’t want your computer to automatically switch to a new default, uncheck the box that says “Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device.”

Section 6 of 8:

How to Configure Audio Input Permissions

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Open your Settings menu from the start menu or by pressing ⊞ Win+i. Locate the Privacy & security option on the left side of the window, and click on it to open the next window.^{[5]
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Scroll down to the App permissions section and click on Microphone. This opens the microphone settings and they will apply to all of the audio input devices you have on your computer.
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Toggle microphone access for your system or for specific apps. Double-check that the Microphone access option is toggled on so your computer recognizes and properly uses your input device. Then, scroll through the list of apps, and individually turn on or turn off access to your microphone.^{[6]
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- You can also see the apps that have recently accessed your microphone under the Recent Activity tab.

Section 7 of 8:

Troubleshooting Audio Input Devices

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Test your microphone to make sure it’s connected properly. If you’re not sure that your microphone is working, open Settings → System → Sound and locate your input device from the list. Click on the arrow on the right side of the device to see the properties, and then click the Start test button. Talk in your microphone for a few seconds. Then, click Play under the Recorded sample section to see if it captured your audio.^{[7]
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- If you don’t hear yourself, try increasing the input levels in the advanced settings.
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Update your audio input driver if your microphone isn’t detected. Old audio drivers are usually the primary cause of microphone and input device issues. Luckily, they can easily be updated or reinstalled in your settings.^{[8]
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- Press ⊞ Win+X and open your Device Manager.
- Expand the Audio inputs and outputs menu.
- Right-click on your microphone and select Update driver.
- Select Search automatically for drivers. If a new driver is available, follow the prompts to install it.
- Restart your computer.
- If the microphone still doesn’t work, open the Device Manager again and select Uninstall. Restart your computer again to reinstall the driver.
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Restart Windows Audio Services if you don’t see your mic in your settings. If you can’t find your audio input device, then there may be an issue with Windows Audio Services on your computer. A quick restart can resolve the issue and make your microphone reappear.
- Press ⊞ Win+R to open the Run menu.
- Type in services.msc and click OK.
- Look for Windows Audio in the list of services and double-click it.
- Click Stop and wait 5 seconds.
- Press Start with the Automatic setting on.
- Repeat the process for Windows Audio Endpoint Builder.
If you’re getting feedback every time you’re talking, go to Settings → System → Sound → Advanced → More sound settings. Click on your Microphone and select Properties. Under the Listen tab, uncheck the box that says “Listen to this device.”

Section 8 of 8:

Windows Audio Input Devices FAQs

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How do you see disabled audio inputs? If you want to see audio inputs that your computer has saved but aren’t active, open Settings → System → Sound → Advanced → More sound settings. Right-click on a blank part of the list, and toggle on Show Disabled Devices.
- Anything that’s disabled will have a greyed-out icon and say “Disabled” under the device info.
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How do you rename an audio input? Open Settings → System → Sound and find your audio input from the list of devices. Click on the arrow on the right side of the window to open the device properties. Then, click on Rename in the top-left corner. Type in the new name and hit Enter to save it.
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Can you have 2 microphones running at the same time? You can have 2 microphones running if you have one set as your default device and the other set as your default communication device. One microphone will be used for recordings while the default communication device will only be used on calls.
- Press ⊞ Win+R on your keyboard to open the Run menu.
- Type in “mmsys.cpl” and click OK.
- Switch to the Recording tab.
- Right-click on a microphone and select it as your default or default communication device.